The Farmer's Daughter & The Innkeeper's Son
by HummingEnigma312
Summary: Katie Gardner and Travis Stoll blow off some steam by the Lake. Katie has problems, Travis is one of them. And some minor stuff. (Goofiness, Coarse Language, and mild suggestive Themes... slight OCC)


**Disclaimer: I'm not Rick Riordan. I do not own the Percy Jackson franchise.**

**(A/N Taking a small break from my other story. I'm trying not to make this laden with gooey romance, but…hell it can't hurt.) **

_**The Farmer's Daughter & The Innkeeper's Son**_

Travis Stoll hated spring. Well, in a sense he just disliked it greatly. He just couldn't stand a few things, like: the tourist gawking at random flowers, the stupid, rainy month of April, ruining his clothes (He was too stubborn to wear a jacket), and mostly the way his best friend got depressed around May.

He casually walked out of Lakeview Inn and down to the lake itself to get a breath of fresh air. The day had gone as well as any other. People checked in, people check out, rooms were cleaned… the usual.

The air wasn't exactly muggy, but Travis stilled scowled a bit. He never liked humidity; it was just too wet. He much preferred the cool autumn air at his back while running from his latest prank victim. The air felt like it was sagging onto him; the moisture collecting on his hair, forming drops that slid uncomfortably down his neck.

The lake was surprising void of any dew, and for once, it was deserted and nice. There was a stretch just ripe with flowers…a few reds, a blue one, a couple yellows, and Travis' favorite purple kind. He walked past the flowers and scrambled up a tree to get a better view.

It was about mid-evening, he guessed. The clouds were loosely packed and drifted lazily.

The sun didn't beat down harshly, more like it was just passing by to say hello. Travis thought he'd just rest a few minutes…dozing off, he scarcely heard the quiet sobs below him.

Katie Gardner hated spring. She earnestly did; no it wasn't the beautiful flowers dotting the usually dreary landscape of the town, it wasn't the near-constant rain (she loved the rain in retrospect), but it was the unwanted memories it brought back. She slumped against a tree and her mind wandered to the painful memory.

_There she was again, little 12-year-old, watching the rain though the window. She heard someone knocking on the door and scrambled down the stairs; hoping it was her mom finally coming back from the farmer's market. She flung the door open…it was a police officer, his name tag read, "Mathewson". He had serious eyes, and looked to little Katie with pity._

"_Hello Mr. Mathewson!" she said politely._

"_Katie!" her dad's voice called, "Who are you—." He appeared from around the hallway._

"_Officer Mathewson, good afternoon. Can I help you with something?" he ushered Katie behind him._

_The veteran officer hated this part of the job. He swore an oath to protect the citizens of his town, to uphold the ideals of justice, not be some bearer of bad news._

"_Mr. Gardner," he sighed, "We found your wife."_

"_Really?! Where is she? Is she safe? Why isn't she here? Is she at the hospital?" he fired off, a flicker of hope igniting inside._

"_Mr. Gardner…" the officer said it bluntly; hopping it wouldn't cause more pain, "I'm sorry for your loss…"_

"_No…no!" Mr. Gardner shouted. Katie had never heard him shout unless they were in the fields and her mom was inside finished making dinner._

_Katie watched as her father broke down into silent sobs, slumping into the door frame. Katie, although young, understood too well. She stood their stricken, wishing it was just a dream._

She was jerked from her memory when an oddly out of place cool wind washed over her. She enjoyed the lake; it always looked beautiful and had a certain natural feel to it. It was her mom's favorite place to bring her when Katie was 7.

_That's how I began to learn about flowers…_Katie thought absently.

She couldn't help but smirk as she thought of the time she'd almost strangled Travis Stoll for plucking her garden for some girl at school. He was quick, but she was persistent and strong.

She caught him by the basketball court and proceeded to smack him around while he laughed like a maniac. Katie shook her head at that silly memory.

Then, the thought struck her, _Why am I friends with Travis anyway? He's annoying, loud, attention craver…like a puppy. _

She shook it off and decided it might be time to go back home, but a shrieking mass tackled her to the ground. It took her a moment to overcome her daze and switched to instant anger.

"TRAVIS!"

Travis smirked as she screamed his name from under him. Yeah…he could get used to this.

"Did ya miss me?" he asked slyly.

"No…now get off," she replied forcefully.

Travis made a "pffft" sound, but got up and offered her a hand.

She swatted it away scowling at him.

"What do you want Stoll?" she tried to sound angry.

He was about to shoot back a witty innuendo remark, but something caught his attention. The mischievous glint in his eye faded.

"Katie…have you been crying?" he asked tersely.

Anger flared up in Katie…not because he noticed, but because she forgot. Travis took it as a silent admission.

"That's not of you business!" she snapped.

"Yes…yes it is," he frowned, "As your best friend I need to know why…"

"Travis!" she huffed," you are _not_ my best friend. You're just an annoying brat that follows me around and pranks me!"

"Yeah…" he shrugged, "Best friends."

"You're impossible," she said, storming off.

"And you changed the subject," he pressed, striding beside her.

"Go away…" she shot, shoving him away.

"_Katie_," he sang," _Don't be mad at me._ Because, _it's not unusual to be mad, at anyone. It's not unusual to be sad, at anytime…" _

"Stoll," she shook her head, "you're insane…" But Travis swore he saw a smile, so he pressed on.

About five minutes later, the sat at the pier, reminiscing the times Travis pranked Katie, then Katie whooped his butt.

_Yeah…good times,_ Travis thought.

The mid afternoon slowly collided with the Earth and became an early evening; sun just about to slip below the horizon. The humidity had burned off leaving a pleasant lavender skyline.

Travis didn't want the day to slip away just yet. Then again, neither did Katie.

Katie tried to take in the nice view of the sun setting behind the valley. Travis, on the other hand, was gazing at his reflection in the water, trying to summon some courage.

"So…," Katie asked absently, "Travis…if you had a daughter…what would you name her?"

Travis snapped out of his thought, "Umm…hard to say…I think I'd name her Alysia."

"What about you?" he asked.

She bit her tongue slightly, like she always did in deep thought. Travis thought it was the most adorable thing ever.

"I would say…Alyx….with a "yx" not "ex."

Travis looked up, trying to picture it in his head. "That's cool…"

She offered a slight shrug, "Anyway…anything new at Lakeview Inn?"

"Yeah…there's this girl, real cute by the way… OWW!" Katie had slugged him in the arm.

"What was that for?!" Travis rubbed his arm. _Damn…she can punch._

"You're trying to make me jealous…" she frowned.

"Is it working?" he asked with a stupid grin.

"Yeah…" Katie barely registered her response until a full second after.

Travis did a double take, _Did she just say that?_

"Did you just say that?" he blurted out.

"No—I," she stumbled around her words…_Way to ruin the mood Travis…_

"You're blushing…" he said.

"No, I did _not_."

"You just did that thing where you wince when you lie."

"No, I _didn't_." Her face reached a vibrant scarlet.

She tried to get up, but Travis put his hand on her lap.

"Stoll, what are you doing?" she hissed, pushing his hand aside.

"Katie Garner has a crush on _me_!" he shouted to an invisible crowd.

"What is wrong with you?" she asked incredulously.

"I fell out of a tree awhile ago…" he said laughing.

"As I've said _**you're insane**_."

"Admit it you love me…" threw around a smile.

"Not on your life," she stuck her tongue out.

"_You want to hooooolllld me/you want to kiiiiissss me/ you want loooovveee me," _he sang_._

"TRAVIS!" she punched him again.

"OWW!" he stopped, "You know that kinDA hurts."

"You know what else hurts?"

"Whaa—AAGHHH," she pulled him into a headlock.

He flopped around like a drunken snake; writhing around, trying to slip away. Katie kept a firm grip, but he rolled tried to roll over the edge of the pier. While she was pre-occupied trying not to fall into the lake, he squeezed his head through her arms.

Travis, in a blink of an eye, reversed, pinning Katie to the pier, head hanging over the edge. It was already dark, but he could still see her cute pissed off face.

Scowling, she said, "Fine Stoll, if you admit it, will you get off of me?"

He thought for a second…"Sure."

She huffed, hoping he'd say no. "I like you…" he mumbled.

"Hmm? I didn't hear you."

"I like you, Travis Stoll…okay?" she wanted to be mad, but instead she was blushing.

"Yeah…" he was smiling smugly.

"Can I go now?"

"One last thing…"

She groaned and rolled her eyes.

"What?" she spat.

His face got an inch away from hers, lips almost touching

"I like you too."

He leaned in and kissed her. Although taken by surprise, a warm feeling washed over her, and she kissed him back. Then, in a flash, it was over…They'd tumbled into the lake.

Travis Stoll was laughing manically, shaking the water from his hair.

Katie could only fume in anger a she was soaked in water, "_**STOLL!"**_

**(A/N Should I continue with this? They seem like a cute couple.)**


End file.
